Tigerair launches Singapore's first budget flight to the Maldives on 24 January 2014

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Here is good news to travellers looking for budget fares to the Maldives for recreation, business and honeymoons! With effect from 24 January 2014, Tigerair launches Singapore's first budget flight to Male, the capital of the Maldives, located southwest of Sri Lanka.

On 24 January 2014, Tigerair Airbus A320 flight TR2502 departs from Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 for Male at 9.50 am and arrives in Male at 11.25 am local time. Less than an hour later, flight TR2503 leaves Male at 12.15 pm and touches down in Singapore at 7.40 pm after 4 hours 25 minutes.

Subject to bilateral regulatory approval, direct flights of Tigerair from Singapore to Male will operate on Fridays, Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays.

It is a smart move for Tigerair to operate direct budget flights to the Maldives as currently AirAsia X is promoting to Singapore its budget flights to Male, which begin from Kuala Lumpur and transit via Colombo.

New Ipoh airline to launch flight to Kualanamu from 13 December 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

The Kualanamu-Ipoh charter flight of Sriwijaya Air on 8 November 2013 will be converted to a full-scheduled flight on 13 December 2013 when Flying Fox Airways, the new Ipoh private airline, plans to launch scheduled flights with its leased Sriwijaya Air's Boeing B737-400 aircraft.

Flying Fox Airways was formed in Ipoh early this year and it launched its Facebook in September 2013 announcing its plans to fly from its main base in Ipoh Sultan Azlan Shah International Airport to Medan Kualanamu International Airport on 8 November. However, the airline has just announced that its maiden Ipoh-Kualanamu flight will be moved backward to 13 December in order to obtain the correct necessary paper approvals for the new Ipoh-Kualanamu flight.

The Boeing B737-400 aircraft will be repainted and operated under Flying Fox Airways' name, similar to the flight arrangement between Air Timor and SilkAir on the Dili-Singapore-Dili routes using SilkAir's aircraft.

Flying Fox Airways is not Sriwijaya Air's subsidiary as the Indonesian airline has not bought any stake in the Ipoh airline. However, it is Sriwijaya Air's GSA and airline partner in Ipoh.

Flying Fox Airways will use Kualanamu as its transit hub for its second international flight to Dhaka in December 2013, followed by its third flight to Shenzhen from Kualanamu by March 2014, and later Macau and an unidentified city in Japan. The new Ipoh airline also has plans to open a new scheduled route from Ipoh to Singapore by 2015.

Through its partnership with Sriwijaya Air, Flying Fox Airways hopes to market the Ipoh airport and Perak tourism to the international travel and hospitality industries.

Sriwijaya Air launched NAM Air and flight to Ipoh

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

BATAM, 8 November - Sriwijaya Air, Indonesia's third largest airline which suspended daily flights to Singapore from Jakarta on 1 November 2013, has launched NAM Air, its feeder medium-service subsidiary in Jakarta on 26 September 2013 with a fleet of Boeing B737-500W aircraft, each comprising a configuration of 8 Executive Class and 112 Economy Class seats.

The full-service airline Sriwijaya Air was granted permission from the Indonesian civil aviation authority on 2 August 2013 to form NAM Air.

NAM Air's first inaugural flight takes place on 10 November 2013 when a Boeing B737-500W aircraft will depart from Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (Cengkareng) for Pangkal Pinang, south of Batam. Later, other flight services will take off gradually from Cengkareng for Pontianak, Sorong, Kupang as well as from Surabaya for Biak, Denpasar, Luwuk, Pangkalanbun, and from Denpasar for Waingapu, Maumere and Kupang in eastern Indonesia.

NAM Air was launched to cater to the rising demands of eastern Indonesian passengers for direct travel to other parts of Indonesia and Asia.

Sriwijaya Air signed on the day of NAM Air's launch the Memorandum of Understanding with ex-politician Dr. BJ Habibie's Indonesian Aeropace to order 100 Regio prop R-80 Indonesian jets, including 50 firm orders and 50 future aircraft orders. The first R-80 aircraft which runs on fly-by-wire technology will be put into service in 2016.

Meanwhile, Sriwijaya Air started B737 flights from Kualanamu to Ipoh on 8 November to mark the airline's tenth Anniversary on 10 November. Kualanamu is Ipoh airport's second international destination after Singapore.

Sriwijaya Air did not reveal the reason of flight suspension to Singapore. Its Singapore branch office ceased operations yesterday. The airline began daily flights to Singapore 5 years ago.

Both NAM Air and Sriwijaya Air share the same inflight magazine Sriwijaya. Currently, on-line bookings for NAM Air and Sriwijaya Air flights are completed via Sriwijaya Air's web-site.

Mega Maldives Airlines' achievements and plans

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                / KUCINTA SETIA
Reported to All Press & Travel Professionals

On 5 November 2013, Mega Maldives Airlines has confirmed to Sayacinta - Airpost that the international long-haul airline of the Maldives plans to add further four aircraft to its fleet and introduce new destinations in Africa, the Middle East, Australasia and Northeast Asia.

Mega Maldives Airlines' existing fleet consists of 2 Boeing B767-300ER and 1 Boeing B757-200ERW aircraft. It plans to add two additional B767 jets in order to open new flights to Johannesburg, Perth, Melbourne and Tokyo from Male. It will also add a Boeing B737 aircraft to its fleet in order to start new services from Male to Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius and Dubai. The airline aims to operate seven aircraft by the end of 2014.

Ahmed Hamid, the corporate development manager of Mega Maldives Airlines, said that the Australia market is a huge travel market for the Maldives. Over 14,000 visitors travel from Australia to the Maldives via Asian or Middle Eastern cities. The proposed  new direct route between Male and Melbourne will not only reduce travel hours between the two countries but also enables the airline to become the preferred carrier of choice for visitors to the Maldives.

Mega Maldives Airlines has postponed its inaugural flight from Male to Johannesburg until further notice. The airline carried 163,000 passengers in 2012, up from 54,000 passengers in 2011. It claims up to 40 per-cent market share of all Chinese arrivals to the Maldives.

Mega Maldives Airlines operates scheduled flights from Male to Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai, charter flights from Male to Chengdu, Chongqing and Hangzhou as well as seasonal domestic flights from Male to Gan. Its inflight service innovations such as Kiddie Flight Attendant and Honeymoon in the Sky services and well-trained ground and inflight services enabled the airline to be awarded with "Best Airline" in the "Excellent Service" category in 2012 by The Beijing Times (Jinghua).

Mega Maldives Airlines was founded on 23 February 2010 as a Maldivian joint-venture charter airline with majority Maldivian owners and American co-investors. It has more than 130 Asian and European cabin crew and more than 40 foreign pilots. It launched scheduled operations on 23 December 2010 initially flying from Male and Gan to Hong Kong and has since carried more than 400,000 passengers.

Mega Maldives Airlines attended the Aviation Forum held in conjunction with ITB Asia 2013 on 23 and 24 October in Singapore.

Regent Airways flies to Singapore from 14 December 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Another Bangladeshi airline, Regent Airways, flies to its fourth overseas destination, Singapore, from 14 December 2013.

On 14 December, Regent Airways flight RX784 departs from Dhaka for Singapore at 12.20 pm and arrives in Singapore at 6.35 pm before taking off at 7.25 pm for Dhaka and touching down in Dhaka at 9.40 pm under flight RX785.

Regent Airways' flights from Dhaka to Singapore on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays are operated by the airline's Boeing B737-700 aircraft which has a configuration of 114 Economy Class and 12 Business Class seats.

Regent Airways currently flies domestic routes in Bangladesh and operates international flights to Kuala Lumpur-Sepang, Suvarnabhumi and from 18 November to Kolkata.

Hunnu Air introduces new destinations Manzhouli, Paris and soon Singapore

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
With input from Bertrand Mouchmino, Paris
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Hunnu Air, Mongolia's largest domestic and international airline, has introduced new destinations from the period 21 October  through 2014 including more flight frequencies to Bangkok from Ulaanbaatar from 15 December 2013.

On 21 October 2013, Hunnu Air started direct twice-weekly flights between Mongolian city Choibalsan and the Inner Mongolian city of Manzhouli, China's busiest port of entry, using its Fokker F50 aircraft to meet the demands of Mongolian, Chinese and Russian traders importing from and exporting fur and other products to Eastern Europe. The aircraft will be replaced by either an ATR 42 or ATR 72 aircraft by winter 2014.

Hunnu Air has cancelled its twice-weekly commercial flights to Shanghai from Ulaanbaatar without mention of a resumption date.

Hunnu Air maintains its thrice-weekly direct scheduled flights to Hong Kong.

On 15 December 2013, Hunnu Air returns to Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok when it begins its red-light flight at 12.10 am from Ulaanbaatar and touches down in Suvarnabhumi at 5.10 am under flight MR21. It returns to Ulaanbaatar from Suvarnabhumi on 16 December 2013 with flight MR22 departing for Ulaanbaatar at 1.35 am and arriving in Ulaanbaatar seven hours later at 8.35 am.

Currently, Hunnu Air operates once-weekly flight to Don Mueang, the city airport of Bangkok and previously operated limited flights to Suvarnabhumi.

Hunnu Air confirmed to French media at last month's International French Travel Market (IFTM) in Paris that it will launch its first long-haul direct flight from Ulaanbaatar to Paris in the second quarter of 2014 using an Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The new aircraft to be received in the second quarter of 2014 will also operate on its second long-haul flight to Singapore from Ulaanbaatar as early as the fourth quarter of 2014 or early 2015.

Other destinations to be opened by Hunnu Air include Hailar, Huh Hot in China, and Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk in Russia.

Besides Hong Kong, Manzhouli and Bangkok, Hunnu Air operates domestic flights to Bayankhongor, Choibalsan, Dalanzadgad, Murun, Uliastai, Altai, Khovd, Oyu Tolgoi, Ovoot and Tavan Tolgoi.

Nanchang flights to Singapore begin on 29 October 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Nanchang will be linked to Singapore with a fifteen minutes' layover in Nanning when China Eastern Airlines operates its first Nanchang flight to Singapore on 29 October 2013.

On 29 October, China Eastern flight MU2005 departs from Nanchang at 8 am, arrives in Nanning at 9.30 am. At 9.45 am, it leaves for Singapore and touches down in Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 at 2 pm.

One hour later, flight MU2006 takes off at 3 pm for Nanchang. It has a brief layover in Nanning at 6.30 pm before departing for Nanchang at 6.45 pm, arriving in Nanchang at 10 pm.

Nanchang is a convenient destination for budget onward flights to Shijiazhuang with Hebei Airlines and other second-tier Chinese cities.

Currently, China Eastern Airlines operates scheduled flights from Singapore to Shanghai, Kunming, Nanjing, Nanning, Xian and Wuhan. With the additions of Jinan (via Shenzhen Airlines), Lijiang (via Tigerair on 29 October) and Nanchang (via China Eastern), there will be 580 weekly flights to China from Singapore Changi Airport from 29 October.

Shenzhen Airlines extends its Singapore-Shenzhen route to Jinan on 27 October 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Shenzhen Airlines, one of Air China's subsidiaries, is extending its Singapore-Shenzhen route to Jinan, capital of Shandong Province, China, on 27 October 2013, for convenience of travellers to Shandong. The Singapore-Shenzhen-Jinan routes were previously operated by another Air China's subsidiary Shandong Airlines, which were terminated at least 4 years ago.

Shenzhen Airlines' first commercial flight from Jinan to Singapore via Shenzhen takes place on 26 October today. At 1 pm, ZH9791 departed from Jinan and has just arrived in Shenzhen at 3.45 pm. It will depart for Singapore at 6.20 pm and arrive in Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1 at 10 pm on the same day.

On 27 October, ZH9792 takes off from Singapore at 8.15 am and arrives in Shenzhen at 11.55 am before departing for Jinan at 1.55 pm and touching down in Jinan at 4.45 pm.

Daily flights to Jinan via Shenzhen subject to changes are operated by Shenzhen Airlines' Airbus A320 aircraft.

The other way to travel to Shandong is by flying with Scoot, which has flights to Qingdao, Shandong, via Shenyang.

For further information on Singapore-Shandong flight schedules, refer to www.shenzhenair.com and www.flyscoot.com.

Vietnam Airlines announces third daily flight frequency between Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Vietnam Airlines has announced in ITB Asia 2013 that from 27 October 2013, it will fly between Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore three times daily. The adjusted flight schedules are as follows:-

Ho Chi Minh City - Singapore
Flight VN651 1) 9.15 am to 12.15 pm ;
Flight VN655 2) 2.25 pm to 5.25 pm ;
Flight VN659 3) 4.25 pm to 7.25 pm.

Singapore - Ho Chi Minh City
Flight VN650 1) 1.15 pm to 2.15 pm ;
Flight VN654 2) 6.25 pm to 7.25 pm ;
Flight VN658 3) 8.25 pm to 9.25 pm.

Vietnam Airlines will maintain twice-daily flights between Hanoi and Singapore. The existing flight schedules are as follows:-

Hanoi - Singapore
Flight VN663 1) 8.10 am to 12.25 pm ;
Flight VN661 2) 10.50 am to 3.05 pm

Singapore - Hanoi
Flight VN662 1) 1.25 pm to 3.35 pm ;
Flight VN660 2) 4.05 pm to 6.15 pm.

All Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City flights to and from Singapore are operated by Airbus A321 aircraft.

Contact Vietnam Airlines Singapore office at #08-08 The Heeren 260 Orchard Road for fares and other Vietnam travel enquiries. Tel : 65-633963552.

Low-fare Surprises from Air India and Marketing Plans of other Airlines at ITB Asia 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Surprises await everyone! Below are the surprises from airline exhibitors and co-exhibitors of ITB Asia 2013.

Air India markets low-fares to India, Saudi Arabia, London and New York

Air India appears under the India Tourism Board booth during the last minute to promote its B787-Dreamliner aircraft flights to Sydney, London and Frankfurt  (via Delhi) and market low fares to Jeddah, Dammam and Riyadh from Delhi (from 250 Singapore Dollars one way, from Singapore around 800 Singapore Dollars). It is also promoting low-fares to Delhi from Singapore from 89 Singapore Dollars and to Chennai from Singapore from 50 Singapore Dollars per way. Promotion fares end on 31 October 2013.

An Air India's B787-Dreamliner fare to London from Delhi costs from 300 Singapore Dollars while an Air India's fare to New York from Delhi costs from 500 Sigapore Dollars without taxes and surcharges. Promotion for the London and New York flights end on 31 March 2014. For updated information, email Air India Singapore office at sales@airindia.com.sg.



Airlines of Nepal plan flights to Singapore

Yeti Travels and its airline units, Yeti Airlines, Yeti Airlines' subsidiaries Tara Air and Air Dynasty Helicopters, appear at ITB Asia for the first time.

Yeti Travels which distributed many unique Nepal itineraries such as exclusive Nepali bird-watching tours, Annapurna Circuit biking tours and 12-days Kali Gandaki Gorge jeep tours said Nepal Airlines plans to begin flights to Singapore and Japan sometime in 2015. Email Yeti Travels at info@yetitravels.com for future information.

Yeti Airlines said there are many Singaporean passengers onboard its domestic flights. It plans to open international flights to Singapore in three years' time from Kathmandu. This is why it has exhibited in ITB Asia for the first time.

Yeti Airlines distributed the company group flight magazine "Yeti World" and Jetstream 41 aircraft brochures to the travel trade and media.

Corails Helicopteres and Air Austral at Reunion Island Tourism Board

Reunion Island Tourism Board exhibiting Reunion, the overseas territory of France, for the first time at ITB Asia showcases the domestic Reunion helicopter flight services of Corail Helicopteres through Corail Helicopteres' special flight magazine "GC Traveller" and distributes limited Bangkok flight schedules of its international airline Air Austral.

Corail Helicopteres operates daily sightseeing flights from Reunion Airport to the famous three cirques of Cilaos, Mafate and Salazie. The cirques are a trekker's paradise. Cilaos is the starting point for the ascension of the Piton des Neiges (the central summit of the Reunion mountain), an ideal site for canyoning and climbing. In Mafate, enjoy lush natural beauty while in Salazie, see beautiful waterfalls such as the Voile de La Mariee as it cascades down a lush mountainside covered in chayote plantations in the Belouve forest which has great tracks to the Trou de Fer, a settlement of beautiful Reunion villages, one of which is Hell-Bourg recognised as the most beautiful village in France.

Air Austral has opened flights linking Reunion with Bangkok and Chennai since 19 February 2013 using Boeing B737-800ER aircraft, flying on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It appeared at ITB Asia 2013 to market its Bangkok-Chennai-Bangkok flights to the local travel trade.


Air Rarotonga exhibits for the first time

Air Rarotonga has been robed in by the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation (CITC) to market domestic flights and tours in the Cook Islands to trade visitors and media.  The airline of the Cook Islands distributed limited postcards, its inflight magazine "Escape" and its JETX Air Cargo game cards. It also markets its Aitutaki Day Tour packages to the travel trade.

CITC has recently opened a new office in China to market the islands and Air Rarotonga to the Chinese, as well as Hong Kong, Korea and Japan travel trade and tourists. CITC hopes to strengthen ties with Singapore's travel agencies in order to boost travel to the Cook Islands via Auckland.

Samoa Air links up with Samoa Tourism Authority

                                  

Samoa Tourism Authority, which also exhibits at ITB Asia for the first time, reveals that Samoa Air, the little airline well-known for generous legroom for fat passengers and very high baggage allowance  on its 10-seater aircraft, has linked up with the tourism board to market local flights from Fagalii Airport near Apia,  the capital of Western Samoa, to American Samoa and Maota Airport near Salelologa and Asau Airports on the northwestern coast of Savai'i. Samoa Air's web-site can be accessed to at www.samoa.travel.

Virgin Samoa, Air New Zealand and Fiji Airways fly from Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland and Nadi, Fiji to Apia.


Jet Asia Airways to fly to Tokyo-Narita on 3 November 2013

Jet Asia Airways, one of Thailand's new airlines, appeared in ITB Asia for the first time this year to generate awareness of the new airline and is eager to seek fresh B2B co-operation and  GSA partnerships with travel agencies outside Thailand. It plans to open scheduled flights to Tokyo-Narita on 3 November 2013 using its Boeing B767-200 aircraft. The airline hopes to tie-up with local travel agencies for connection flights from Singapore to Tokyo via Bangkok.

Jet Asia Airways will inaugurate online bookings in two weeks' time.

Currently, Jet Asia Airways flies from Bangkok to a diverse range of destinations in China such as Shenyang, and Chongqing, as well as Seoul, Busan and Osaka and domestic flights from Bangkok to Phuket.

For further information on Jet Asia Airways' schedules, please refer to www.flyjetasia.com.

Other airlines turning up at ITB Asia 2013 include Qatar Airways, Qatar Executive (at Catalunya Tourism Board booth), Latam Airlines Group, Garuda Indonesia and Korean Air.

The sixth edition of ITB Asia 2013 ends on 25 October 2013. The seventh edition of ITB Asia will take place at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, from 29 to 31 October 2014.